


Faded

by Sesenka



Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Action, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canon-Typical Violence, Drama, Fluff and Angst, Friendship, Gen, Humor, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, KH3 spoilers, M/M, Romance, Slow Burn, Suicidal Ideation, Suicide Attempt
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-12
Updated: 2019-06-15
Packaged: 2020-03-02 05:50:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,483
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18805006
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sesenka/pseuds/Sesenka
Summary: When Sora and Riku bring back a familiar face, Roxas finds himself saddled with a big responsibility, in which he can't help but think 'there goes my summer vacation'. Except without all the drama of fading away...hopefully.





	1. Burden

**Author's Note:**

> Another one of these fanfics. I'm not sure how long this will end up being but while I was figuring out how the second to my other Rokuvan series would go, this idea popped into my head for a long slow burn fanfic. Hope people end up liking it!

When Riku returned to the others following Sora’s disappearance and his subsequent journey to track him down, everyone practically rejoiced as Sora was brought back successfully. It was a big celebration of sorts in Radiant Garden, though it was limited to friends and in a private section of the castle so there wouldn’t be much of a disruption. But, Sora announced at the beginning of the party that he and Riku had brought someone along with them—a certain black-haired and golden-eyed male whose presence became known upon his uttering of his name, stepping out of the shadows. Instead of the usual red and black darkness he wore, however, he was in a grey and black jacket, black pants, as well as a black turtleneck with accompanying red shoes.

 

A hush came over everyone as they realized who it was:

 

Vanitas.

 

Aqua carefully asked, “Why and how did you bring him back?”

 

Sora smiled sheepishly and said, “Well, when Riku pulled me out of this ... let’s say, other universe, I noticed that there was an Unversed lying on the ground and took it with me. I mean I guess I didn’t want to leave it just in case?

 

Before I knew it, when we landed back in Destiny Islands, it turned into Vanitas somehow. I’m not sure how that works, but I guess he got stuck in the same place Riku and I did? Though was recovering from the final battle?

 

Then we found him clothes and—”

 

Vanitas snapped, “More like badgered me into them. You’re an annoyance, you know that, right?”

 

Roxas said suddenly, “Don’t talk to him like that.”

 

The black-haired boy sneered. “Or what, you’re going to beat me to death? You light-bearers really aren’t so different from Master Xehanort at all.”

 

Sora got in between the two, and said, “Hey, let’s not. We’re trying to have fun, right?”

 

Riku added, “Sora’s right. Let’s cool it.”

 

In a flurry of movement, Vanitas had stalked out, and Roxas sighed. “I really don’t like him. Why bring him back?”

 

The brunet replied, “You heard what I said earlier, right? I couldn’t just leave him there—even though I didn’t really know it was him at first.”

 

The blue-haired woman said, “We’re going to need to have someone keep an eye on him.”

 

Ventus opened his mouth and both Terra as well as Aqua said at the same time, “No.”

 

Then Riku added, “We’ll figure it out later. Don’t want to ruin an already good day, and I doubt he’s going to cause trouble right now.”

 

Unbeknownst to him, some of the people around him already considered their day ruined.

 

...

 

Roxas was surprised that the celebration went off without a hitch. But of course, good things couldn’t last. While he was with Xion in Twilight Town, he learned after a quick visit from Aqua that they were considering him as someone who could look after Vanitas. He wasn’t happy about having someone possibly just dumped on him like that, but at the same time, he can’t say he would object too much.

 

He was one of the most capable Keyblade Wielders and if something went wrong, he was confident in being able to subdue him.

 

When the other arrived, though, things were different than how he’d seen him last.

 

Vanitas stood close to Sora, and his eyes were red along with bags underneath them. His skin color looked pale and he looked miserable. The brunet sighed and said, “I can’t bring anyone with me apparently and Yen Sid said it was something that had to be kept for the moment between us. Plus it’ll take a week, and Aqua said she didn’t want Vanitas wandering around causing trouble...if it weren’t for that  I think I would’ve had an easier time convincing her. But for the time being, can you look after him?

 

I trust you and she agreed that you’d be a good choice.”

 

“...Yeah, whatever.”

 

Vanitas muttered something to Sora, who handed him something like a phone but in black and red color. Roxas watched as Sora bade Vanitas goodbye but actually had a hard time because his hand was on his arm for a bit. “Don’t worry, I’ll be back, I promise!”

 

“...”

 

Roxas never thought he’d ever see the black-haired male sad, but it was evident for a moment as he watched Sora take off in that ship of his.

 

The blond rubbed the back of his head and said, “Let’s get going.”

 

“Don’t bother,” Vanitas said, his words sounding soft despite the undercurrent of harshness riding along in them. Roxas blinked.

 

“...Huh?”

 

Then, the black-haired male said, “There’s no one else around to prolong my wretched existence. So, why not end it, before I do something you’ll regret?”

 

Roxas replied, “Because that’s not what I agreed to do.”

 

Vanitas fell silent, and he just looked tired. He gazed down at the blond’s feet and said nothing, which made it easier for Roxas to nudge him along. The black-haired male stared at the rest of the house and slowly made his way into the living room. By the time Roxas caught up with him, Vanitas was already collapsed on the sofa, fast asleep.

 

The blond sighed and just went to get a blanket to drape over Vanitas, muttering, “You’re a handful, you know that, right?”

 

Not that it mattered since he couldn’t hear him. But, it was the thought that counted or something.

 

It was just for this week anyway.

 

...

 

A crash shatters Roxas’ sleep and he’s immediately up, out of the bed and he comes into the kitchen to see the black-haired male standing in front of a knifeblock that’s slipped off the top of the refrigerator. He imagined that the other must’ve stepped on his tippytoes to try to reach it and it became unbalanced.

 

However, the most unnerving aspect was the large knife that he held in his fingers. He just asked Vanitas, “...What’re you even trying to do?”

 

“...”

 

“Seriously!”

 

Vanitas sighed and said, “None of your business..”

 

But, Roxas figured he might have an idea and asked, “Trying to prepare to cook something?”

 

Vanitas paused and rolled up a sleeve. He replied, “...something like that.”

 

“I could help, you know.””

 

The taller male scoffed and said, “No. Just forget it—I’m going back to bed.”

 

Roxas frowned. “But—”

 

“But nothing. Just leave me alone..”

 

The Nobody sighed and then went to pick up the knifeblock as well as the knives that had fallen out. He then put them back in before closing in his distance between Vanitas and him, reaching for the knife. The other male didn’t seem like he wanted to let it go and Roxas said, “The sooner you hand it over, the sooner I leave you alone.”

 

Vanitas scowled and then handed the knife back to him.

 

Roxas began to put it back in it’s place, but felt Vanitas’ eyes on him, and decided that it’d be better to take it with him into his room. It was just a gut feeling anyway—the guy might have felt like trying to see what it’d be like to stab him with it.

 

The blond got comfortable under the blankets and saw a message from Sora on his phone that amounted to ‘oh yeah, Vanitas doesn’t have his powers for the moment, so make sure to watch out for him if he gets into a fight. Thanks Roxas!’

 

Of course Sora didn’t mention that before. The blond sighed loudly... on second thought it was going to be a very long week.


	2. The Shadow to my Light

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vanitas crosses a line, because of course he does.
> 
> Also, gestures to the warnings in the fanfic.

Lightning flashed before Roxas’ eyes, and the blond looked around him — the setting in front of him was clear:

 

The World That Never Was and it’s darkened sky above him.

 

He looked down at his hands, saw black leather gloves, and then saw the backs of both his friends garbed in the same wear. He tried to speak, to ask what was going on, but no words followed, and Roxas rose a gloved hand to his own throat. His fingers grasped at it but he couldn’t tear the words from his throat, and suddenly he sunk into the ground.

 

He reached out to his friends (Xion and Axel) who were still standing and facing away from him as the darkness underneath his feet dragged him under.

 

 _Not again._ **_Never_ ** _again_.

 

When he could see nothing but black, golden eyes stared into his.

 

Roxas let out a loud cry and he found that he was on his floor, tangled in his blankets. He sighed, and rubbed at his eyes, before rising to his feet.

 

He wandered into the kitchen and looked around. He felt like he should be surprised that Vanitas wasn’t in the house, but he wasn’t.

 

The blond found that he had overslept and it was already one o’ clock, so he supposed he better track down that guy since he was sure to be barking up the wrong tree somewhere. He sighed as he dressed in a grey coat, black pants and baggy tan slacks. It was kind of chilly and cloudy out, after all.

 

In Twilight Town, there were few people and he wasn’t meeting up with his other friends, so he tilted his head out towards the direction of the forest, which was concealed by an underground tunnel that, quite frankly, looked like shite. But then he closed his eyes and opened his telepathic connection...

 

_My liege, do you call for us?_

 

Roxas’ eyes opened, brighter than ever as he responded, _Yeah, find him—find Vanitas and lead me to him._

 

He felt the pull of an agreement to his command and one Dusk appeared in front of him after awhile, which made him follow.

 

He was being lead past the houses and to a more grassy area that wasn’t anywhere close to the mansion, but at the end of the countless row of houses that extended from out in Twilight Town. But the Dusk only stopped when Roxas was lead to a cliff with a few trees and foliage—but there Vanitas was.

 

The black-haired male stood with his hand outstretched and resting against a tree as he looked over a valley where there were a few mountains beyond them. The blond blinked and stepped closer to him, and said with a sigh, “Vanitas...”

 

Vanitas whipped around to face Roxas and he grabbed him by the front of his shirt and pulled him forward. The blond is ashamed to admit he is entirely caught off guard, and also that his eyes immediately flickered down to the other’s lips, but found that he didn’t meet them in a kiss. His head rested solidly over the other’s shoulder.

 

He felt arms wrapped tightly around him and the blond blinked and wrapped his arms hesitantly around the other.

 

He didn’t see the other’s smirk on his lips. “Some of my powers came back; I’m sure Sora told you I was powerless, didn’t he?”

 

Before Roxas could pull away, he noticed the darkness intertwining both of them, and the blond found his feet stuck — not even teleportation could pull him away. Tendrils of darkness snaked up Roxas’ legs and wrapped tightly around him, then Vanitas leaned in and whispered into his ear, “You shouldn’t have trusted me.”

 

The blond grunted, and tried to escape — he opened his mouth to say something but his vision flashed before his eyes before darkness crawled into it.

 

A flash of images came before him, of a blond with his face, facing Xehanort — Ventus. His expression was distressed, words falling from his lips in dead silence, but dark beings pounced on him anyway.

 

Another image of a red clad male — of Vanitas — on the floor, without his helmet, holding his head with his hands with blood trickling down his lips as Xehanort stood before him with a Keyblade.  He swung his weapon down anyway.

 

Then another image of himself — as Roxas — standing in front of Sora in that pod. Feeling nothing but resignation.

 

What was the point? They’d keep chasing him until he faded away, until he became Sora.

 

Nothing mattered anymore.

 

The scene shifted to where Sora was pleading for him to accept himself as a person, except only emptiness remained in the sea of feelings he once possessed.

 

The only reason he broke free of that sea was because his friends needed to be protected, no more, no less.

 

He heard Vanitas ask, “You have emptiness in you too, don’t you? Why don’t you take the fall with me?”

 

It was so hard for the blond to think, as his blue eyes hazed over, and he was surrounded in the warm embrace of darkness. He heard the black-haired male say, “In oblivion, none of us will ever have to feel pain ever again. Wouldn’t you like that?”

 

Yes, he would.

 

“I knew you would feel the same.”

 

It’s not like it mattered anyway. He was just a...

 

He was just — _Roxas_ — a _Nobody_.

 

They were on a cliff and the blond felt the black-haired male take them right off the edge. It’d be a good, deep drop below, he knows.

 

...

 

Vanitas felt his body slam back against the tree, instead of falling forward to his and Roxas’ deaths. It all happened in a split second — one moment he’d submerged the blond in his darkness, let him feel all the pain he could, and realized that they were the same, that it’d be unfair to not offer him a chance to as well — and then Roxas stopped it all. The blond had snapped out of it, and an overwhelming, bright light had tore apart the grip of darkness Vanitas had tightened on the blond. Then, he’d somehow managed to twist them in midair and toss the black-haired male straight into the tree.

 

Roxas had appeared in front of him in the next moment and slammed his fist straight into his face. Admittedly, he can’t say that he didn’t deserve that.

 

The blond raised a fist again and let it fly.

 

Roxas stopped only a few inches from Vanitas’ face, he was breathing heavily, tears slipping down his cheeks. Surprisingly, he didn’t ask him what the hell was wrong with him, words seeming beyond him for a moment.

 

Vanitas said, “You should leave me behind. You can’t—”

 

“—Shut up.”

 

“Don’t tell me to—”

 

“I said... _SHUT UP_ _!_ ”

 

That got him to shut up for a brief moment because the blond actually screamed, and Vanitas couldn't remember the last time someone actually had at him—it was actually pretty impressive. Then Roxas said, “You shouldn’t have done that, you...you...”

 

Roxas caught himself, words tumbling away from him in what was evidently due to not being in a good mental state. “...I’m not going to just let you go off and do what you probably planned to do with yourself, either, so don’t even think about it.

 

Think of it as punishment for what you just did, if you want, because now you’re stuck with me for good.”

 

Vanitas had nothing to stay to that, other than feeling like a fool. Then, the blond grabbed at his arm, helping him up before letting go, and saying, “Come on, let’s go back.”

 

Vanitas scowled at his arm that was touched and asked, “What’re you going to tell your so-called friends?”

 

“I’ll leave that up to you to imagine,” rasped the blond, and the rain came down, hard.


	3. Another Start

Mondays were the worst, even when school wasn’t in session—easily proven by today’s madness. Roxas wondered how his Other had handled Vanitas, knowing how unstable the male was—did he attempt to do the same thing to Sora? Likely not.

 

His mind was still reeling from that—how could it not be? It was completely and utterly messed up.

 

He supposed he could try to call Riku and ask. Undoubtedly it would’ve been difficult for the black-haired male to do what he did around the two. That must’ve been it. But, because of how reluctant Roxas was to ask  _ Riku _ for help of all people, he had just dialed Ventus’ number, which was given to him at the end of this mess. At least it didn’t take long for the blond to pick up.

 

“Hey Ventus?”

 

He was treated to a nice picture of the sky. Did the blond answer the phone mid-flight? Roxas just shook his head. “Hi Roxas! Did something happen?”

 

Roxas snorted and asked, “How’d you know?”

 

“Well...you don’t really call me all that often. Aqua also told us that you’ll be looking over Vanitas for a little bit,” continued Ventus and there was a pause before he finished with,”and I already know firsthand how much of a handful he is.”

 

“Okay, whatever. Could you come over?”

 

“Sure!”

 

Before Roxas could say anything else, the phone blipped out and then a light portal appeared in his kitchen, before Ventus strolled in with a smile. Both blonds ignored the palpable look of disgust on the black-haired male who had just stepped into the kitchen through the walkway and paused.

 

Vanitas said, “I’m going to use that room of yours.”

 

“Don’t. Use the guest room, and when you do, just be aware I’m going to check on you real quick so you don’t try anything like destroy it or something. And if I find out I can’t even leave you alone for five seconds, I’ll find a way to constantly check up on you like you were some kind of baby.”

 

“Ugh...damn lightbearers. I don’t even know why you’re bothering, even after today.”

 

With that, the other left, conceding his defeat. Roxas is content with the knowledge that the other is unable to teleport, otherwise he’s sure Vanitas would’ve left already. Then, he turned to face Ventus, who was peering over his shoulder, and asked, “What happened?”

 

Roxas began to put out ingredients for dinner and said, “He tried to kill both himself and me at the same time earlier today.”

 

“ _ What?! _ ”

 

The blond got out a knife to and hovered it above the cabbages. “Yeah, I know. It’s not the only thing he did...”

 

His hand was unsteady despite his quiet, calm voice, making it difficult to cut the vegetables cleanly as he usually did. Ventus grimaced and took Roxas’ hand in both of his, as he asked, “Are you sure you should be the one keeping a look on him?”

 

Roxas turned his head to give the other blond a sharp look. “Only I can. Riku’s probably with Sora, and Aqua’s probably not the person who could keep an eye on him without making it worse. Terra’s probably been through enough.

 

Axel’s...just I don’t know. Probably not.

 

I’m one of the only people left who can put up with him.”

 

There was a but in there, even Ventus could hear it, so he waited. “...But, I can’t do it alone. I need your help. You’re probably the person who knows him best, and...now that I know what happened with both of you and Xehanort, it feels like it wouldn’t be right to leave you out of it.”

 

He felt the shock in Ventus’ grip before he saw it on the other blond’s face. He asked, “He told you about what Xehanort did to split us?”

 

Roxas shook his head. “I think he showed what Xehanort did when he was trying to ‘train’ you—both when it was just you...and then when it was just Vanitas.”

 

“...When it was just Vanitas?”

 

The blond looked back at the vegetables spread out. “He just....kept beating him senseless until he could avoid it and fight back well enough to keep it from happening. Xehanort seemed to think he was just some kind of monster that needed to be trained, nothing more, nothing less.”

 

A silence came over them. Roxas looked back at Ventus, seeing those blue eyes wide in shock. He...didn’t know?

 

...He didn’t know, did he?

 

Ventus said in a choked voice, “So that’s why he...that’s why he was so obsessed with thinking he was only darkness. And I just let him—I just let him go.”

 

Roxas put a hand on his shoulder and the other blond’s eyes teared up. “You didn’t know.”

 

“I need to tell Aq—”

 

“—No, you don’t,” interrupted Roxas, and Ventus frowned. “I think it’s best to keep it between us for now. Maybe later?”

 

“...Okay. By the way, do you need help with cutting that?”

 

Roxas nodded, and just handed off the knife to Ventus. His hands were too unsteady to do the job, unfortunately, so he went to instead grab the rice. 

 

...

 

Vanitas blinked as he stared at the extra room. There was hardly anything in it except a notebook, which he opened and flipped through the pages. They seemed to be drawings, and he stopped on a page with a black-haired girl and a blond haired girl holding hands. That black short hair would be something he recognized from anywhere, and he got an urge to tear it out and rip it to shreds.

 

So that’s exactly what he did, spreading the pieces into the small trash container in the room. No one could say he was making a mess, at least. 

 

The smell of something delicious hit his nose and he crept out of his room.

 

He peered his head into the kitchen and saw Ventus as well as Roxas still talking. “...I guess telling someone else might be a good idea after all. But, not Aqua, she’d probably think it was some kind of conspiracy theory.”

 

Ventus asked, “What about Terra?”

 

“He’d probably tell Aqua.”

 

“Oh.”

 

They were probably talking about him. But, Vanitas’ mind was on food, even if he ducked his head out and let his back remained press to a wall that blocked him from sight. He missed Roxas’ eyes flickering over to the door way where Vanitas once was peering his head in from because he couldn’t see it.

 

The black-haired boy grudgingly figured that they wouldn’t bother making something for a monster. He walked down the hall and was stopped when he heard Roxas say, “Hey, we’re making some food. Come and eat some.”

 

Vanitas turned to give the blond - who now also stood in the hallway, next to the kitchen - a glare, and said, “I’m not hungry.”

 

Then, his stomach betrayed him by rumbling pretty loud, and a heavy silence drifted in. Vanitas’ pale face turned bright red with embarrassment and anger, which made Roxas laugh. He heard Ventus speak from the kitchen, “I could hear that from in here. You must be pretty hungry!”

 

“Shut up.”

 

Roxas placed his hands on his hips and said, “Come on already.”

 

Before Vanitas knew what was happening, the blond had straight after walked towards him and tugged on his arm, pulling him towards the kitchen. The black-haired male opened his mouth to protest, but nothing came out—he supposed he could just use this as an excuse to say that he was dragged into it. Because of course he couldn’t admit to accepting help from anyone ever.

 

Once he was in the kitchen, his eyes landed on Ventus and he scoffed. “Did you come all this way because you felt upset you couldn’t help last time? Or did you want to brag that I needed to be pitied in order to be ‘saved’?”

 

Ventus blinked and said, “No and no. By the way, here’s your plate.”

 

Vanitas took it and sneered at him, opening his mouth to say something until Roxas moved to stand in front of him, and asked, “Can we just sit down instead of trying to start a minifight in the kitchen?”

 

The expression change was minute, with the golden eyed male looking kind of angry and ... not at the same time as he flickered his gaze from Roxas who now blocked his view of Ventus to his food. It seemed impossible, but Vanitas was able to manage it. Somehow.

 

Vanitas refused to sit down though even with Roxas and Ventus managing to do so. He ate slowly, and watched the other two for awhile and then Ventus asked, “So, how’s...everything?”

 

“Terrible, you stupid—”

 

Roxas interrupted, “—Vanitas, can you go without insulting someone for five seconds?”

 

“No.”

 

Ventus smiled and said, “I can handle Vanitas being a brat, it’s fine.”

 

He also casually ignored his glare, which made Vanitas just smirk instead and say, “All grown up now, brother? Knowing to just treat me like a nuisance because in the end you know that’s all I’d ever be.”

 

“Not really. That’s all up to you.”

 

The smirk fell from the other’s lips and he went quiet, and Roxas sighed. At least it got him to quiet down.

 

...

 

Nightfall came and when it did, Vanitas made sure the others were asleep before leaving the house and leaping onto the roof. He looked out at the night sky, feeling comfortable if anything. Honestly, he could go off and never return right this moment and neither of the two would be the wiser—

 

“Couldn’t sleep?”

 

The black-haired male turned to see Roxas standing on the roof beside him. “...When’d you get here?”   
  


“Just now.”

 

Another silence came between the two and then Vanitas asked, “Why haven’t you given me up to Aqua? I’m sure she’d have found a suitable punishment for me.”

 

Roxas replied, “I’m sure her idea would be something like locking you away. But, that’s not my idea of a punishment - I already gave you a clue of mine.”

 

In that moment, Vanitas did feel kind of stupid, and he hated it. He did spell it out in plain English and unlike some people, as he’s coming to learn, Roxas meant what he said. “Let me guess,  _ you’re _ the one who decided that there’s some good inside of me, and took pity on me?”

 

“If I’m being honest, I don’t know if there’s anything good left in you at all,” Roxas replied. “I just don’t want Xehanort to be the person that was right about you. You understand, right? Even if it’s you...I don’t think you’d find the idea of Xehanort coming out a winner in anything as something you’d like. If I’m wrong, you can say that now.”

 

Roxas doesn’t say straight out that he doesn’t want Xehanort or anyone else to be right about Vanitas because it hasn’t taken him long to conclude it’s Xehanort’s fault that Vanitas is like this. It’d be easier for the other to refute what he said if he had.

 

And though he hadn’t wanted to admit it, there had been some truth to what Vanitas said—that they were similar enough or whatever. Enough so he believed they could understand each other in a way nobody could.

 

Nobody except maybe Ventus himself.

 

Vanitas remained silent for awhile and said, “It’d save you some trouble if you did just hand me over to her...or put an end to me now.”

 

“I know.”

 

“Don’t tell me you already forgive me for what I did.”

 

Roxas gave a pause and replied, “No, I don’t. I’m not sure if I ever will, but it doesn’t change how I feel.”

 

A harsh laugh escaped the other at this and he shook his head. “You’re worse than Ventus; even if you’re wearing his face.”

 

Roxas said, “I’ll take that as a compliment.”

 

Vanitas muttered, “...If you’d been there, maybe it’d have been different.”

 

The blond’s eyebrows knitted and he asked, “...What?”

 

“Nothing.”

 

Roxas' lips pursed together, but he doubted that he could pry the answer from Vanitas' lips. Not like this, but for awhile he just decided to let them sit in silence until they had to go downstairs for sleep.


	4. Did you feel (us)?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Meant to put this up earlier but I got awfully sick. 
> 
> Also I saw a thing awhile ago on twitter regarding a "what if" that certainly did not happen and it was an awful thought/headcanon I liked. So I may have incorporated something like it in the story. Hope you guys like :)

Vanitas could run a bath without fighting with the knobs or accidentally scalding himself because he had placed the temperature too high, though he’d never give the thanks to Sora for showing him. However, when he sat into the warm water, it still took some getting used to—his scars didn’t ache, except for one on his back. It was an ugly, jagged one that happened to be more recent.

 

Two lines crisscrossing over each other to form a deranged-looking ‘X’. None of the lights knew except Sora, by an accident when he’d walked in on him when he was changing. Granted, Vanitas took fault for that one—he’d left the door wide open and hardly knew about proper social constructs. He’d never even had a room to change clothes in, so that didn’t help matters.

 

He told Sora the story behind it after laughing in his face about his embarrassment, seeing little problem with standing there half-dressed, and the brunet having the audacity to ask in the first place.

 

When Vanitas had been brought back, by Xehanort, after his failure at the hands of Ventus and being shattered into a myriad pieces. Instead of being allowed to sleep in oblivion, the male had pulled him out of the timeline somehow, right before that very moment, and the being of darkness was infuriated. The anger bubbled deep beneath the surface as he found himself in front of the other, hands twitching, body shaking as his existence was completely, utterly, and fundamentally unstable.

 

The old man seemed happy, however, as he said,  _ “Ah, my apprentice. It’s good to see you here--and perhaps it’s a blessing for you as you’re able to obtain a second chance at achieving the completion of the X-Blade. _

 

_ I’ve also left you a present. It should be easy for you to discover what it is.” _

 

A growl escaped Vanitas as he felt the telltale ache on his back. But, he couldn’t will himself to oppose the Master directly. Not so easily. _ “Of course...Master,” _ Said the smaller male, sarcasm dripping in his tone.

 

Xehanort ignored it, used to it by now. Then, he gave a wave of his gloved hand, seemingly pleased that the other understood his position. “ _ You may go. When the time comes to act, you’ll be brought before me.” _

 

At that, he’d left.

 

He had a single-minded determination to see himself merge with Ventus, all over again after he gained enough negative emotion to keep himself held together.

 

Hence was the reason why he went to Monsteropolis, but of course...the half of his heart was sleeping in someone else. In this...”Sora”, and he hadn’t expected it at all.

 

He also hadn’t expected his face to look so similar to his. But, what mattered the most was that it seemed he was unable to rip Ventus out from the brunet—it was frustrating. However, he was rusty and as he understood it, time had elapsed a long while, and his own being had just been properly reformed.

 

But, he was frustrated, angry, and feeling exceptionally rebellious. He decided after picking himself out of the winter snow that he’d go off elsewhere. Where nobody else could find him.

 

He’d do whatever he wished, and no one could stop him. Until, of course, he discovered something.

 

The replica body he’d been given had an “X” into his back deep enough so it’d scar. 

 

It did its job in ensuring his inability to escape. That’s when he’d given up then.

 

Just like he was wishing he could do now.

 

But...

 

For some reason two stupid blonds and a brunet hadn’t given up on him. When he’d done nothing good for them, at all.

 

He couldn’t understand it, or maybe he didn’t want to understand it. Why would someone decide he’d be anything worth other than to be something that was forged to be a weapon? After he’d caused so much misery. He could tell when he’d first heard “Roxas” speak, that the blond just thought of him as a burden, and he didn’t want to leave Sora, who showed him kindness first. He hadn’t even meant to show his weakness so obviously like that.

 

Clearly they were just all a bad influence on him.

 

He looked at the notebook in front of him in which he’d just doodled some squigglies on the pages. He probably was on a fast track to ruining it.

 

He thought about the first time he’d opened his eyes after the final battle.

 

_ It was raining, and he had felt so weak at the time, but Sora had given him a worried look, picking him up despite his small form. He’d turned to Riku and said, “Hey, Riku! Look what I found!” _

 

_ “An Unversed? Be careful, Sora. It could mean Vanitas is nearby.” _

 

_ The brunet blinked and asked, “So should we bring this little guy with us, just in case?” _

 

_ Riku blinked slowly and sighed. “...Why should we?” _

 

_ “Because...I don’t know, I just can’t leave him here!” _

 

_ The light-haired male shook his head, but there was a faint smile. “I can’t convince you otherwise, can I?” _

 

_ Sora smiled. “Then it’s settled! Let’s head back home together.” _

 

_ “Together,” Riku repeated and they brought one free hand together to give a fist bump before, and then with the same hand they summoned a Keyblade. The rest, he doesn’t remember as light gathered around them, and he passed out. _

 

_ On the beach, Vanitas looked up at the two as he was sprawled on the sand, who looked surprised as he blinked and blearily asked, “...What?” _

 

_ “Woah! He can talk!” _ __  
  


_ Vanitas gave Sora a withering look, before he passed out. From then on, the brunet thought to take it upon himself to take care of him, with his close friend by his side. It was stupid, but he’d gotten used to it, and then... _

 

A door opened to the outside part of the house and he came out of the bathroom, wearing a bathrobe Roxas had lent him. He saw Ventus walk in with some strange objects on hand and give them to Roxas.

 

Vanitas squinted and Roxas turned to face him as he asked, “Hey, want to play some games with us?”

 

“...And why would I ever want to?”

 

Rxoas said, “Because it’ll be fun?”

 

The black-haired male scoffed and said, “Forget it.”

 

Ventus watched Vanitas carefully after the other blond set down the items. Then, he turned away from his former other half to help Roxas put together each set of the objects, which clearly was assisting with setting up the game. Then, he said, “Well, if he’s afraid of losing, I can see why he wouldn’t want to play with us. We’ve got the advantage.”

 

Vanitas’ eyes narrowed.

 

...

 

Roxas placed a blanket around the black-haired male’s shoulders, smiling a little to himself, as Vanitas had dozed off after about twenty rounds. The blond had assumed that he’d hardly been getting much sleep...he could see it in his eyes these past days - including the first day the black-haired male had been temporarily handed over to him. His expression was still hardly something that could be considered relaxed, dark brows knitted together tightly even in the throws of sleep itself, but it seemed less intense now that his eyes were shut.

 

Ventus had left, though that was more or less because his friends had called him away for some time. The Nobody thought he could handle Vanitas right now by himself for a bit, and he was honestly kind of glad that today had been going alright. Though, he wasn’t a fool and figured that things wouldn’t necessarily be easier all the time.

 

...The blond headed into the kitchen, figuring it couldn’t hurt to make some food. Maybe Vanitas might awake soon so he’d join in, so Roxas made sure to grab enough food so that the other wouldn’t be left without. As he set about making some, there was a knock on his door, and he went to it to see who it was.

 

A certain black-haired female gave him a little smile and said, “Sorry for the short notice. But I left my notebook by accident last time and I was wondering if I could pick it up...”

 

Roxas nodded and replied, “Yeah, sure. I don’t mind.”

 

She hurried past him and into the guestroom. The blond closed the door and headed back into the kitchen.

 

He should’ve known something would be up, especially when Xion peeked her head in and looked troubled. “Roxas? Do you have a minute?”

 

The blond wondered if these riceballs were ever going to get done. But no, really, he didn’t mind - he really had a couple of hours to fix something nice. Though, he frowned when he saw the look on her face. So, he asked, “Sure; is something wrong?”

 

Xion sighed and held up her notebook which looked fine, until she flipped it to a page that clearly had been ripped out and to a few other later pages which had terrible squiggles in them. She said, “I looked and saw that the page was ripped right out where I had drawn something in there, among other things. I just wondered if it was an accident, or...”

 

Roxas could feel the palm of his hand hit his face despite the fact he hadn’t done so in reality. He knew Vanitas had been staying in the guest room, but hadn’t imagined that something like this would occur. He asked, “...You couldn’t find where it went?”

 

She shook her head. He sighed and said, “It probably was an accident...maybe the squigglies too. We can try looking for it now?”

 

She nodded. Roxas figured it must’ve been pretty important, and even if it wasn’t, concluded it would be something she’d like to have.

 

Roxas took the guest room first to look into it and see if there was anything he would’ve missed. He was glad he did, granted that he looked in the trash and found pieces of paper which seemed to be a picture Xion had drawn.

 

He groaned. He’d need to glue these together...

 

If Vanitas weren’t fast asleep, he’d see how long he could get with by grabbing him by the ear and pulling.

 

He had to make a decision right there and then. So, when he went to find Xion, he told her that he must’ve torn it out by accident when he was cleaning and apologize that the picture had been in such a bad state. She looked disappointed but ultimately accepted his explanation, before she took leave, telling him that she could always draw a new one.

 

He checked in on the black-haired male, who was still out like a light and there was even a small snore with a sleep bubble on his nose.

 

Roxas’ eye twitched.  _ Of course he’s sleeping like a baby now... _

 

The blond went into the kitchen and angrily prepared dinner, slamming things around and half-hoped that it’d wake the other up. He couldn’t help but think,  _ Why am I even putting up with this again? That guy just goes around and he just...he just makes a mess of everything! I don’t even know why I - _

 

A flash of what he saw on that cloudy day went through his mind. The knife slipped in his hand and he winced before it fell to the floor, as because of losing his grip, the counter now had drops of blood dripping onto it.

 

...

 

Vanitas awoke, and saw the blond finishing up dinner. Apparently the other male had a sixth sense, since right after, Roxas entered into the room and said, “If you want to join me, I made something.”

 

The words came out in a kind of irritated tone, so the other rose the eyebrow, and when he got up, he noticed that the blankets fell from his shoulders. He didn’t recall them being there before, and took a glance at the blond who set the plates on the kitchen table. Then he came in and asked, “So, what’s bothering you this time? Ventus proving too much of a goody two shoes for you to handle?”

 

Roxas actually snorted, though he didn’t want to. He was trying to be mad at the other right now. He said, “No. It’s the fact you tore up Xion’s drawing without thinking about the consequences.”

 

Vanitas blinked. “...That terrible drawing?”

 

“Vanitas.”

 

“What? It sucked.”

 

Roxas snapped, “I’m serious. She was upset and...and I just don’t want you doing things like it anymore!”

 

Vanitas rolled his eyes, until the blond slammed his fist down on the table. Except, he hadn’t been thinking clearly, and the hand he did was injured from his accident earlier. It wasn’t bleeding, due to the blond being able to cast a Cure spell, but it did dully ache, because it wasn’t a minor accident.

 

A shadow came over Roxas’ face as he grit out, “Just...listen to me... okay?”

 

At that, Vanitas was silent, tense for a moment and then he saw the blond draw the hand to hold one of his own hands in his, “...Whatever. What happened to your hand?”

 

The blond looked surprised and looked away as he muttered, “...A little accident.”

 

Vanitas frowned and pressed, “Really? Just an accident? You’re not lying to me, are you?”

 

Roxas shook his head. “No. Why would I be?”

 

The black-haired male huffed and said, “...Nevermind, just forget it.”

 

“...Okay?”

 

Roxas then finished up, and went to put away his stuff. Vanitas watched him closely, wanting to say something, but the words wouldn’t come. He can’t believe the other couldn’t grasp the implications, but maybe it just proved that it wasn’t something stupid like that. A huff of amusement escaped him, after the annoyance left him. He couldn’t help but find it a little endearing, though he’d never say.

 

Roxas asked, “What’s so funny?”

 

Vanitas smirked and said, “Nothing.”

 

He ignored the pouty look on the blond’s face before placing the plate into the sink. Then he yawned and said, “I’m going to go to bed for real now. Oh yeah, are you  _ actually _ expecting me to apologize to Xion or something?”

 

Roxas frowned and said, “...I hadn’t even told her it was you, so I guess it’ll be impossible.”

 

He tried to look at the duck image on one of the walls more intently when Vanitas turned to face him quickly as he asked, “...Why didn’t you?”

 

“It slipped my mind. But next time I won’t do anything like that, so...just be grateful and don’t do it again. I’m serious.”

 

Before Vanitas could say anything else, Roxas headed towards his room and said, “Goodnight.”

 

The blond shut the door tight, leaving the other just standing there. Even though sometimes he felt like Roxas was similar to him, Vanitas doesn’t believe he could completely ever understand the blond’s actions. There was only a few days left, after all.

 

...

 

The blond turned in his bed, looking over a few texts from his friends. Tomorrow should be interesting, though he doesn’t think getting Vanitas out of the house was going to be difficult. It would be what happened when he actually spoke to his friends, since he was hanging out with Axel and Xion tomorrow.

 

Maybe that’s why he couldn’t sleep, and he grumbled, turning in his bed. Then he sat up quickly, putting a hand on his head. He muttered, “...Great, just how I’d like to end my day.”

 

He then heard the sound of a small squeak and he turned his attention immediately towards the floor. He saw something move, and tensed, until he saw what it was - it was a small, blue creature with red irises. An Unversed.

 

Roxas had seen them a couple of times before, on the battlefield. But he didn’t think he’d be seeing one again, given that Vanitas’ abilities seemed hampered. Did this mean that his powers were returning?

 

The creature looked up at him and hopped onto the bed. It seemed curious and made more of those squeaks, popping up around the blond, who smiled slightly. “Hey there, little guy. I don’t know how you got into here, but ... I guess it’s fine if you stay.”

 

It then continued to look at him and tilted it’s head and Roxas said, “...You know, I don’t think I really have any idea of what I’m doing. Sora’s always been better at this kind of stuff, but...I don’t want to give up.

 

I hope one day he understands that too.”

 

The Unversed blinked and then went over to his hand, before nudging against it, and Roxas looked confused as he asked, “What...?”

 

Then it paused and quickly sat in his lap, making him laugh. “I can’t really understand you, you know. Come on, though, you need to move. Especially since I should probably try to sleep.”

 

At least the Flood listened, and moved slightly so Roxas could lay back down in the bed, and once he had, the small creature squeaked before lying down beside him.

 

By the end of the night, Roxas fell asleep, holding it close to him.


End file.
